Once Upon A NeverEnding Story
by Model Builder
Summary: Bastian Balthazar Bux and Atreyu travel to Storybrooke to visit their childhood friend, Regina Mills. As the three friends reminisce about when Bastian and Atreyu rescued Princess Regina from the evil sorceress Xayide, and avert a war between Fantasia and the Enchanted Forest, the two men give some sage advice to Regina's son, Henry.
1. A Reunion With Old Friends

**Once Upon A NeverEnding Story**

 **A "Once Upon A Time" / "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter"**

 **Crossover Fanfiction**

 **Summary:** Bastian Balthazar Bux and Atreyu travel to Storybrooke to visit their childhood friend, Regina Mills. As the three friends reminisce about when Bastian and Atreyu rescued Princess Regina from the evil sorceress Xayide, and avert a war between Fantasia and the Enchanted Forest, the two men give some sage advice to Regina's son, Henry.

 **Disclaimer:** "Once Upon A Time" is owned and created by the team of Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz.

"The NeverEnding Story" is owned and created by Michael Ende, and the film on which it was based was produced by Bernd Eichinger and Dieter Giessler, and was directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

I do not own any of the characters depicted in this story. This Fan Fiction Crossover is the work of a hobbyist having fun with some of his favorite characters, and nothing more. I hope that this is a sufficient disclaimer.

 **Historian's Note:** This story is set immediately after Season 5 of "Once Upon A Time." The events in this story are based on a modified version of the second film, "The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter."

As an episode of "Once Upon A Time," the title card would depict Horok Castle in the distance of the Blue Forest Setting.

 **Chapter 1: A Reunion With Old Friends**

Robin was gone. Nothing was left of him. He was completely and thoroughly gone. The thought was almost too much for Regina Mills to accept, much less get her mind around.

Regina would never see Robin Hood, _ever again_. Robin was dead - but he was _not_ in any of the many Heavens, Hells, or Places-In-Between _anywhere_ in the multiple universes that made up reality as everyone - be they from a factual or fictional world – knew it to be.

Thanks to Hades and his accursed Olympian Crystal, Regina's lover Robin Hood had ceased to exist in any way, shape or form. All that was left of him were the memories of the time they shared together, along with the many myths and legends – and not all of them true – that this world had of a mythical figure known here as Robin of Locksley.

Regina would be denied reunion with Robin even in death.

Because of this, the telephone call from Bastian Balthazar Bux that Regina got shortly after Robin had been annihilated could not have come at a better time. Yes, said Regina, she could definitely use some company. And when Bastian said that Atreyu would also come, Regina felt a sense of relief - and more importantly, _hope_ \- for the first time since she lost Robin.

A reunion with old friends would be just what Regina needed right about now; especially since she knew that that was _all_ that it would be. True, both men had once briefly carried a torch for her when they were boys. And to be honest, Regina reveled in the attention at the time, and also had nascent, reciprocal feelings for Atreyu – until her mother Cora ruined that. But for now, Regina knew that she could count on her two old friends to help her get through a rough time _without_ any strings attached.

Regina finished dressing in her room; nothing too fancy – for once, she was not dressing to impress. A simple outfit with minimal make-up would be sufficient. But she had not seen either Bastian or Atreyu since they were about Henry's age, and at the very least she wanted to look presentable. Then Regina was roused from her ruminations when she heard a knock and a familiar voice at her bedroom door.

"Mom . . . ? Are you ready to come out, now? You've been in there for _hours_!"

After telling her son that she was decent, Henry opened the door, and Regina smiled. Her son was well dressed and groomed, just as she asked him to be, and was carrying his ever-present Storybook, "Once Upon A Time," under his arm. By now, Regina could scarcely remember a time when Henry did not have his Storybook with him. Regina was especially looking forward to formally introducing her son to Bastian and Atreyu; especially to Bastian. She told Bastian about Henry when he called the day before, and they spoke so long that they literally ran down the batteries in their phones.

But Regina could only imagine Bastian's bemusement when he saw her son in-person with his _own_ magical storybook. If that didn't take Bastian back to his youth, then _nothing_ would. Regina said, "I'm ready now, son. Let's go downstairs. My old friends should be here anytime, now."

As mother and son walked downstairs, Henry said, "Mom, if your friends are coming from outside of Storybrooke, shouldn't we be meeting them at the town line with the Snow Queen's Scroll to let them in?"

"That won't be necessary, Henry," said Regina when the doorbell rang as if on cue. "They are already here."

When his mom opened the door, Henry saw two men that he had never seen before in Storybrooke. Both men were in their late-thirties. One man with greying blonde hair was casually dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, and was holding a large, leather-bound book not too different from the one that Henry had with him. The other man was similarly dressed, but he wore a fringed deerskin jacket instead of a sweatshirt. He wore his long, greying black hair in a ponytail and looked _vaguely_ Native American. But Henry instinctively knew that the man was _not_ Native American; much less native to this world . . . .

After getting a friendly, sympathetic hug from both men, Regina said, "Bastian, Atreyu, I'd like you both to meet my son, Henry.

"Henry, I would like you to meet Mr. Bastian Balthazar Bux." Henry shook hands with the man with the book, who smiled warmly at him as he gave him a knowing look at the book that Henry carried with him.

Then, Regina said, "And this is Atreyu, Henry." This man also smiled warmly as he exchanged a firm handshake with Henry.

Henry said, "I'm glad to meet you both. Mom told me that she knew you when you were my age."

Mr. Bux smiled. "You know, it doesn't _really_ seem like that long ago." Mr. Atreyu nodded in agreement.

Henry said, "But I still don't understand, Mr. Bux. How did you and Mr. Atreyu find your way into Storybrooke? Our town is hidden from the outside world by very powerful spells and charms."

Mr. Bux glanced down at his book (or more accurately, the _medallion_ set into the book's cover,) and said, "We have . . . our ways, Henry . . . ."

"Wait," said Henry. "You're from _this_ world, aren't you, Mr. Bux?"

"I am."

Then Henry turned to the other man, and said, "Mr. Atreyu, I have to ask. Are you from the same world as my mom?"

The man nodded. "I am from a neighboring realm. I am a hunter and warrior of the Plains People of _Fantasia_ , Henry. And please; just call me "Atreyu." Also, I think that Bastian would probably prefer it if you addressed him less formally as well, now that we have all been introduced." When Bastian nodded, Henry became more relaxed, and he and his mother joined the two men at the table in the dining room of the Storybrooke Mayor's Mansion.

When everyone was seated, Regina said, "Henry, in the Fairy Tale Lands, Fantasia and the Enchanted Forest share a common border. Long ago - almost a thousand years, in fact - our two Kingdoms fought a war that ended in a stalemate and an Armistice that has lasted for as long as anyone can remember.

"Our two Kingdoms are now separated by a three-mile wide "Demilitarized Zone" of dense, old-growth forest with an additional mile of cleared land on either side. Communications are limited to what you might call a "Hot-Line Mirror" that connects the various Royal Estates in the Enchanted Forest and neighboring realms, such as Oz and Arendelle, with the Ivory Tower of Fantasia's ruler, The Childlike Empress, to be used only in cases of emergency.

"And one day, just before my thirteenth birthday, such an emergency arose . . . ."

Atreyu said, "Your mother made an accidental visit to Fantasia in a hot air balloon, and The Childlike Empress asked me and Bastian to help get Regina back to her home in the Enchanted Forest before it caused a worse incident between our two realms."

Bastian added, "But to make things even _more_ complicated, your mother's balloon landed near Horok Castle. And we had business to attend to there, as well . . . ."

"Horok Castle?" said Henry. "I never read about anyplace called Horok Castle in my own book. But it doesn't sound like a very nice place."

"It wasn't," said Bastian. "Horok Castle - also known as the Castle of the Seeing Hand - was once the home of the Evil Sorceress Xayide. And by the time Atreyu and I got to where your mom's balloon had landed, Xayide had gotten to her, first."

"Wait," said Henry. "Who is Xayide? I've never read anything about her in my book, either."

Regina said, "She was a very evil, _very_ powerful sorceress in Fantasia. Your Grandmother Cora fought her to get me back, and was nearly defeated in the process."

"Whoa," said Henry. "Xayide was _more powerful_ than _Cora_? What happened?"

"It's a very long story, Henry," said Bastian. "And your mother has a lot that she wants to talk about with us." Bastian then showed his book to Henry. It was titled, "The NeverEnding Story," and it was a little bigger and heavier than Henry's "Once Upon A Time" book. But what immediately caught Henry's eye was the medallion set into the cover of two serpents; one gold with red eyes and one silver with green eyes. Each serpent was biting the other's tail, and they were both entwined in the form of a sort-of Celtic Knot.

Bastian noticed Henry's interest in the medallion, smiled, and said, "That is AURYN, Henry. AURYN is how Atreyu and I were able to find and enter Storybrooke. AURYN also told me that your mother was here in this world, and that she could use some company."

"Then The Auryn _is_ some kind of magical talisman?" said Henry.

"No, not " _The_ Auryn," Henry," corrected Atreyu. "Just AURYN. And AURYN is much more than just a 'magical talisman.' AURYN is the symbol of Fantasia's Childlike Empress, and those who carry AURYN are –"

"Wait," said Henry. "Slow down. Who is this "Childlike Empress," anyway?"

Bastian opened the book and said, "Henry, I know that you must have a lot of questions. But Atreyu and I have come a long way to talk with your mother, and a lot of what we will be talking about is . . . well . . . _adult stuff_ . . . .

"So, I think that the best way for you to find out about how Atreyu and I met your mom would be for you to _read_ about it, yourself. Our story begins, here. Now, it might be a good idea if you were to take a seat at the other end of the table while the three of us take the other end. You will need some privacy for yourself, while you read it. But we still want to keep an eye on you while you read.

"Now it's only fair to warn you, Henry, this book can get a bit . . . _intense_ ; especially the first time you read it."

"With all due respect," said Henry with a bit of a smirk. "I think that I know my way around an Enchanted Storybook. I mean, mom said that she told you that I am an _Author_ , you know."

Bastian suddenly became more serious, and said, "Don't be so cocky, young man. I can guarantee that even _you_ have never read a book like _this_ one, before."

"I still think that I can handle it," said Henry confidently.

"Just humor us, Henry," said Regina sternly. "Now, don't argue with us and read where we can keep an eye on you."

"Oh, go easy on the boy, Regina," said Bastian. "Being overconfident is practically part of the job description for teenage boys. So is turning down good advice from adults with more experience . . . .

"You know, I once got similar advice from someone older and more experienced who is in our line of work when I was Henry's age. A man named Thomas Covenant. And I paid him about as much attention as Henry just paid me!

"Now, I managed to live to tell about it. But whenever I see Mr. Covenant again, he _never_ misses the opportunity to let me know that he ". . . tried to warn me . . . ."

"I-I'll be alright," said Henry, this time with a bit of trepidation. "Mom's here to look after me. And so are you guys."

"Just be careful, son," said Regina. Henry nodded and, taking Bastian's book to the opposite end of the table away from the adults, he sat down and began to read:

" _It was an early summer morning in the Enchanted Forest, bright and sunny with a steady, cool breeze. But twelve, almost thirteen-year-old Princess Regina knew that she would not be able to enjoy it. Today, Regina knew that she was to be cooped-up indoors all day for yet another boring history lesson from Magister Murgatroyd. Looking out the window from her room in the family estate to the courtyard below, Regina could see her father's carriage being made ready for an all-day excursion that had been weeks in the planning. Oh, how Regina wished that she could go with her father, Prince Henry, instead of having to listen to Magister Murgatroyd's famously monotonous droning._

 _From much experience, the princess knew that it was normally useless to argue with her formidable mother Cora, but Regina was determined to try. Regina begged her mother to let her go with her father, who would soon be leaving in his carriage, and was not expected to return until nightfall. And much to Regina's surprise, Cora gave her daughter permission to accompany her father on his all-day inspection tour near the border that separated the Kingdom of the Enchanted Forest from the mysterious realm known as Fantasia . . . ."_


	2. History Lesson

**Chapter 2: History Lesson**

Regina smiled as her father's carriage with its entourage left the family estate and set off for the border separating the Enchanted Forest from Fantasia. After they had ridden about half a mile, Regina's father looked up from the parchment that he was studying, and said, "You're probably wondering why your mother relented so easily when you asked her if you could accompany me on my inspection tour of our Kingdom's border. Why do you think that she did this, daughter?"

"I'm just glad that mother allowed me to come with you, daddy," said Regina with a glowing smile. "Magister Murgatroyd's lessons can be _sooooo_ bo- _ring_!"

Prince Henry laughed, if a bit nervously, and said, "Indeed they can be, Regina. Indeed they can be. Why, I remember attending his lessons when I was your age. I take it that his methods of teaching have yet to improve?"

"His lessons _always_ put me to sleep!" said Regina.

Prince Henry sighed. "And yet, sadly, as boring as Magister Murgatroyd's lessons may be, they are no less _important_." More seriously, he added, "And you have not answered my question, young lady . . . ."

Regina could not remember seeing her father so serious when it was just the two of them together. Regina took a moment to collect her thoughts, and said, "Is it because wherever it is that we are going has something to do with the lesson that I was supposed to have, today?"

"Very good, Regina," said Prince Henry nodding. "We're going to inspect the border that separates our Kingdom from the Realm of Fantasia. And the state of relations between our two lands was, indeed, the subject of Magister Murgatroyd's lesson for today.

"And now, what do you know about the state of relations between The Kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest and Fantasia?"

Regina said, "We once fought a war, long, long ago, and _neither_ side was victorious. Now there's a treaty between our lands that has lasted for nearly a thousand years."

"Indeed, Regina," said Prince Henry. "And what do we know about the Realm of Fantasia?"

"Very little," said Regina. "We've had no regular contact with Fantasia since then. No trade or exchange of ambassadors. Mother says that we have a magic mirror that allows us to contact the Childlike Empress of Fantasia in case of emergencies. But we've said nothing to each other since The War ended except for the regularly scheduled tests to make sure the mirrors' spell still works."

"Quite so," said Prince Henry, suitably impressed by his daughter's knowledge. "And what else do you know of the terms of the treaty between our Kingdoms?"

"Our Kingdoms are separated by a strip of densely forested land that is three-miles wide, with a river running through the center. On each side of the forest, there is a strip of cleared land about a mile wide. We're using ours for farmland, and we assume that the Fantasians are using theirs for the same purpose."

"And are you able to tell me the purpose of this five-mile wide Demilitarized Zone, Regina?"

"It's to make it more difficult for one side to make a surprise attack against the other without them knowing in advance."

"And . . . ?"

"And I . . . I don't know what else, daddy . . . ."

Prince Henry said, "The combination of the tall trees in the forested zone and the distance between us prevents either side from _spying_ on the other. Both sides are forbidden by the treaty to spy on each other with magical means. And both sides are forbidden by the treaty to erect any kind of watchtower capable of seeing over the border and into each other's lands.

"Now, for nearly a thousand years, this arrangement has worked well enough. But a few years ago, _something_ happened in Fantasia that has given us some . . . cause for . . . concern."

Regina nodded. "Some kind of magic had engulfed Fantasia, and was approaching the Enchanted Forest. I heard mother talking about it. But she wouldn't tell me anything else."

Prince Henry shook his head. "We have _no idea_ what had happened in Fantasia, Regina. Your mother thinks that the Fantasians may have been testing a new, magical weapon; something she referred to as, "The Dark Curse," and that it got out of control for a while before being reigned back in; for it vanished as abruptly as it had begun."

"Did we try to use the mirror to Fantasia to ask them what had happened?"

"We did, Regina. Your mother had used the mirror to contact Fantasia's Childlike Empress to ask her what had happened. But your mother never got to speak with the Empress. Instead, the Empress' spokesperson, a being named Chiron, replied by reading a terse, prepared statement, that stated that they ". . . had a 'situation,' in Fantasia that is now 'under control,' and that it 'presents no threat' to the Kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest." They refused to answer any of our questions, and basically told us to not contact them about it, ever again."

"Do you think that it was some kind of magic spell that they plan to use against us, daddy?"

"The truth is, Regina, we just don't know. And that has your mother worried. Ever since whatever it was that almost caused Fantasia to disappear had happened, the rulers of the Enchanted Forest Kingdoms have wanted to know what is going on in Fantasia; especially since the Fantasians have so-far refused to reply to any of our not unreasonable queries."

"Is that why mother let me come with you, daddy?" said Regina. "Does she want me to try to talk with Fantasia's Child Empress, girl-to-girl, to find out what happened?"

Prince Henry smiled and shook his head. "The Empress of Fantasia is the Child _like_ Empress, Regina. She may look like a young girl even as you are. But she is much, _much_ older.

"No, Regina, your mother wanted you to come along to better appreciate the situation that our Kingdom faces with regards to the Realm of Fantasia. And what we plan to do about it."

"What do you mean?"

"Regina, our scholars may have found a way for us to espy the lands of Fantasia beyond the DMZ _without_ resorting to magic or building a watchtower in violation of the treaty."

"But how can we do that?"

Prince Henry smiled nervously, and replied, "When we arrive at our destination in another few hours, all will become clear . . . ."

When Prince Henry's entourage finally arrived at their destination, Regina stepped out of her father's carriage, and stared wide-eyed in amazement at the sight that greeted her.

At first it looked like a large, high round tent, but _what_ a tent!

It was nothing less than _massive_ , and it towered as high as any castle turret that Regina had ever seen. It was dyed light blue-grey and shaped like an upside-down teardrop, with a small opening where the point facing the ground should have been. The opening was surrounded with a woven, ring-shaped wicker basket and the whole thing was held up over a large fire pit by thin rods. An iron flue directed the heat of the fire into the fabric teardrop, keeping the roaring flames away from the circular basket and the fabric itself.

As this was going on, a scholar was speaking with Regina's father, guiding them closer to the towering object. As they got closer, Regina saw soldiers adding more wood to the fire as other soldiers were operating several large bellows that were surrounding the stone fire pit, encouraging the fire to burn hotter and hotter as with a blacksmith's forge.

Off to the side, still more soldiers were winding rope around a massive windless of the type used to raise and lower drawbridges in castles. But the _amount_ of rope being wound had to be _miles_ long – far more than was needed to raise and lower a drawbridge or a portcullis.

Regina also noticed other men attaching thin tubes to the railing of the circular wicker basket that she soon realized were telescopes and more men were attaching what looked like bags of sand onto the sides of the basket attached to the massive bag over the fire pit.

And then Regina gasped in amazement. What she had taken to be thin rods holding _up_ the basket and the large, fabric bag were actually _ropes_ that were straining to hold the basket and bag _down_! Regina realized that the basket and bag were actually trying to fly away!

"What kind of magic is this . . . ?" said Regina out loud to no one in particular.

"No, daughter, not _magic_ ," said Prince Henry. "What you see here is being done by the forces of _science_."

The scholar then spoke. "Princess Regina, if it pleases you, this conveyance is called a "hot air balloon." It comes from the far-off Land of Oz – a gift from the Wizard of Oz, himself."

Prince Henry added, "The Wizard of Oz is as worried about what recently transpired in Fantasia even as we are. But the Land of Oz is far, far away from the border of Fantasia, so he is not able to use this 'hot air balloon,' himself. Because of this, our two Kingdoms have undertaken this joint-venture to find out what it is that the Childlike Empress of Fantasia is hiding from us. Indeed, the other Enchanted Forest Kingdoms from as far away as Agrabah and Arendelle are also interested in what we may find out, and are cooperating with us in this venture as well."

The scholar continued, "Basically, air that is hot is _lighter_ than the cooler air around it, and so floats skyward, in the manner of smoke and ember rising from a campfire.

"What we do here is to catch the hot air rising from the fire in the fabric envelope, creating sufficient "lift" to carry the balloon, the basket with four men, as well as the tether-rope that anchors the craft to our side of the border, aloft for about a half an hour; before the air within the envelope once again cools to the temperature of the air around it.

"Then, once at the desired altitude, the men shall observe what they may over the border, make drawings, and provide us with our first view of what lies within Fantasia in almost a thousand years!"

Prince Henry said, "And as no magic is used, and no permanent watchtowers are being constructed; our treaty with the Fantasians remains unviolated!" The prince turned to his daughter, and said, "And that's why we are here, Regina – to witness the first flight of our new observation platform."

"This is exciting!" said Regina with girlish glee.

"And the best is yet to come!" added the scholar. "My colleagues and I believe that the day will come when not only will a tether to the ground be unnecessary, but that such a platform may be made dirigible – that is, _steerable_ – and able to travel where it will without being at the mercy of prevailing winds!"

Prince Henry added, "And then, the skies – yes, even the skies above _Fantasia_ \- will be ours!"

Regina turned to her father, and said, "Daddy, may I step aboard the basket where the men will ride? I want to feel what it is like to fly without magic!"

"Well, Sweetheart," said Prince Henry. "These men are very busy preparing the balloon for its first mission. It would be best if we were to stand well-out of their way . . . ." But when Regina looked crestfallen, Prince Henry turned to the scholar, who simply shrugged as if to say, "why not?"

"Now, Princess," said the scholar. "You may step aboard the basket and take a quick look around, but I must caution you to not touch anything while you are aboard. Please be brief, Princess; we hope to have the tether cable attached and the final preparations made to be able to make our first flight within the next hour."

Princess Regina nodded solemnly, and then climbed up the stairs to the platform where she could step into the basket that swayed slightly against the ropes restraining it to its place above the fire pit, almost like a small boat at a dock. Regina could feel the heat rising, but was too excited to notice as she stared up at what the scholar had called the "envelope." To Regina's amazement, it was all fabric – there was nothing else inside – not even a framework of thin wood – to hold the envelope's shape. The hot air filling it was doing it all by itself.

Then Regina turned her attention to the basket itself, which was fastened to the envelope by ropes. As Regina looked around, she was impressed by how everything seemed to be designed with the intention of keeping the weight down as much as possible. The telescopes mounted on the basket's railing seemed to be made out of paper, instead of wood or metal, which would be stronger, but much, much heavier. Regina also noticed that no provisions of food or water were being carried. Well, the scholar _did_ say that the balloon's riders would only be airborne for about half an hour, so Regina guessed that such provisions would not be needed.

As Regina walked around the basket, she was vaguely aware that she could feel it moving, no matter how lightly she stepped. But she was so amazed at the novelty of something that people could actually fly without magic that she did not watch her step as well as she should have, and when a light gust of wind caused her to lose her footing, Regina grabbed for a nearby handle that she only saw because it was painted red, and stood out from the light blue color of the balloon.

When Regina caught the handle, she felt the floor of the basket slip out from under her, and fell down. Regina was still gripping the handle tightly as she tried to get back to her feet, only to find that she had a problem getting her balance. Below her, Regina could hear the panicked shouts of men . . . .

Once she managed to stand, Regina then realized that she was about fifty yards up in the air, and going higher and higher.

Below her, on the ground, Regina saw her father, the scholar, and the soldiers moving about as though they were ants. It was then that Regina realized that she must have accidentally launched the balloon when she grabbed for the red handle. Worse, she could see that the tether line mentioned by the scholar had yet to be attached. Near panic, Regina called out to her father on the ground below, wondering if he could even hear her from so high up.

And as Regina called desperately for her father, she thought that she could also hear a boy calling out in panic for his mother . . . .


	3. Regina's Flight to Fantasia

**Chapter 3: Regina's Flight to Fantasia**

"I'm _here_ , Henry!" said Regina as she gently put her hands on her son's shoulders. "I'm here with you, and I'm safe!"

Henry worked hard to get his breathing under control as Bastian handed him a glass of water. "W-what just happened . . . ?" said Henry. "I – I felt as though I was . . . I was . . . ."

"You _were_ drawn into the story, Henry," said Bastian nodding as Henry accepted the glass of water and took a long, grateful drink. "That's the power of "The NeverEnding Story," and of AURYN. You were _actually_ with your mother when she was your age - and felt what she felt - when she accidentally released the mooring ropes and launched the hot air balloon that took her over the border and into Fantasia."

"Seriously . . . ?" said Henry. Bastian replied with a solemn nod. "S-so, what now . . . ?"

"Now," said Bastian, "you must _continue_ reading to find out what happened. What you are now reading happened to us a _very_ long time ago. And as you can see, your mother is here with us now, safe and sound."

"But you must _continue_ to read," added Atreyu. "To _ensure_ that things transpire as they did the first time."

"Wait, _what_ . . . ?" said Henry, giving his mother a worried look. "You mean that my mom is _still_ in danger just because I'm _reading_ about it, _now_ . . . ?

"B-but you said that it _already_ happened and that my mom's safe! I don't think that I need to read this book, anymore! Listen, I get what you mean about not being so cocky. You're trying to teach me an object lesson. Lesson learned!" Henry started to close the book, but Bastian held his hand down on the page to stop him.

"This isn't a lesson in humility or respecting your elders, Henry," said Bastian shaking his head. "You are now a _part_ of "The NeverEnding Story," yourself. You now have a role to play, and to play it, you must continue to read to make sure that your mother stays safe."

Before Henry could reply, the doorbell rang and Regina went to answer it, returning moments later with Henry's other mom, Emma Swan. "Hey kid," said Emma. "Regina just called me and asked me to get here ASAP. Are you alright, Henry?"

Henry said, "Mom, I was reading about mom being trapped in a runaway hot air balloon when she was a kid, and this book brought me into the story! I was actually _there_ . . . !"

"Uh, Regina?" said Atreyu. "Why did Henry just call this lady "mom," too?"

Simultaneously, Henry, Regina and Emma said, "It's complicated."

Atreyu shrugged. "Maybe it's not so complicated to me. You see, Henry, my own parents died while hunting the purple buffalo when I was an infant. That is how I got my name, "Atreyu." In the language of the Plains People of Fantasia, my name means, "Son of All." From that moment onward, all men in my tribe became my fathers. And all women became my mothers."

Regina said, "Emma Swan is Henry's birth mother. I adopted him as my son when he was a newborn."

"You're a very lucky young man to have _two_ moms," said Bastian softly. "My mom died when I was a little kid."

"But what did you mean when you said that I have to keep reading?" persisted Henry. "Is my mom in any danger if I stop reading, or not?"

"That I cannot say," replied Bastian. "But reading the story will answer that question as well as the million other questions that you undoubtedly have. And, as I said earlier, your mother – mothers – and we have a lot to talk about. You might as well finish reading the story.

"Oh, and Regina? You might want to get Henry a blanket. It's bound to be cold, up there."

"It was . . . ," said Regina nodding. She then waved her hand, enveloping Henry in blue smoke. When the smoke cleared, his favorite blanket was draped on his shoulders. To Henry's surprise, neither Bastian nor Atreyu so much as raised an eyebrow. Then the four adults then went back to their side of the table, leaving Henry alone at his end to continue reading:

 _In Horok Castle, Xayide sat on her throne as she contemplated her next move. So far, all was going according to her plan to conquer Fantasia._

 _Though Xayide was known throughout Fantasia as an evil sorceress, she was in fact much, much more than that, and yet at the same time, she was much, much less. For Xayide was the very personification of the Forces of Nothing. She was the avatar of the Emptiness born of the dying imagination of all mankind._

 _And The Nothing was on the march . . . ._

Once brought into existence, Xayide immediately realized that it was her very _Raison d'être_ to destroy the forces of imagination and wonder, and to bring about a new era of order to the chaos of dreams and stories. And to do this, Xayide knew she had to begin at the source.

Her plan to imprison the Childlike Empress of Fantasia in her Ivory tower had thus far been successful. True, the Childlike Empress had managed to call out to the Earthling Child who had helped to save Fantasia a few years back from The First Nothing and its avatar, the wolf-like _Gmork_. But unlike that mangy creature, which had no real plans beyond its next meal, Xayide was driven by a True Vision.

Fantasia was only the first step in Xayide's plan to bring about the Order of Nothing. Once Fantasia and its Childlike Empress had fallen, she would then move onward to the other Realms of Storytelling, starting with the neighboring Enchanted Forest. Next, the lands of OZ, Agrabah, Camelot, Arendelle and the Land of Untold Stories would fall to her Magnificent Nothingness.

And Xayide would not stop there. Once she had consolidated her power in the Realms of Fairy Tales, she would then move on to the lands of Westerns, Adventure, Romance, Noir and Science Fiction. Xayide would not stop until, quite literally, only The Nothing would remain.

Despite Xayide's confidence that her victory was all but assured; she was not about to leave anything to chance. Upon learning that the Earthling Child Bastian Balthazar Bux was even now in Fantasia, Xayide immediately set about making her countermove. First, she ordered her servant Tri-Face to create a Memory Machine that would strip the boy of a memory every time he made a wish using AURYN. And to make sure that the Earthling Child would actually make those wishes, she would send her spy Nimbly to 'befriend' the boy and to egg him on.

But before Xayide could dispatch her spy, she was soon beset by yet another, unforeseen complication. She had just returned to sit on her throne when Tri-Face approached her with new, much unexpected and most unwelcome news.

"Mistress Xayide, a flying conveyance from the Enchanted Forest approaches Horok."

"What do you mean, a "flying conveyance," Tri-Face?"

Tri-Face's head spun around within its headdress, and the face of the Servant was replaced by the face of the Scholar. "Mistress Xayide, the Enchanted Foresters seem to have constructed a large fabric bottle to hold air that has been heated. This heated air allows it to rise into the sky and take several people aloft where they may espy into Fantasia from their side of the border – at least for as long as until the air within the fabric bottle cools."

Fiercely, Xayide said, "In violation of the Armistice." It was a statement; not a question.

The Scholar continued, "Perhaps they are in violation of the _spirit_ of the Armistice; but not the _letter_ of the agreement. The text only prohibits spying with _magic_ or by _building_ a large watchtower. But the agreement fails to mention such a device as the one currently approaching Horok."

Infuriated, Xayide rose from her throne, and went over to her scrying mirror. With a wave of her hand, the image of the approaching fabric bottle of hot air appeared to her. With another wave of her hand, the image was replaced by a view of the hot air bottle's sole occupant; a frightened, though quite pretty young girl.

Xayide smiled. "How far away is that little brat from Horok?"

"Only a few miles, Mistress."

Xayide smiled. "No matter. The beams shall make short work of the girl when she comes within range." Xayide paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. "Although . . . ."

The Childlike Empress stood before a mirror, and into a face that was not her own. Though she herself was incredibly, incalculably old, the face of the woman she beheld in the mirror was that of an adult. It was not an unpleasant face; indeed, it was quite an attractive one. But it was a face that was difficult to read due to the virtual tossed-salad of emotions it displayed, or, more accurately, tried to simultaneously conceal.

The face in the Childlike Empress' mirror showed concern, opportunity, curiosity, anger, fear, aggression, hope and other variations that seemed - like a tossed-salad being made - to bring one of the many competing emotions to the surface for a brief moment, only to replace it with yet another, and another yet again.

So for now, the Childlike Empress would have to rely on conversation to find out what the woman in the mirror actually wanted.

"I am Cora, wife of Prince Henry of the Enchanted Forest," said the woman in the mirror. "How, then, shall I address you?"

"I am the Childlike Empress of Fantasia."

"I see. Am I not to have the honor of addressing you by your given name?"

"Empress will be sufficient."

Cora managed a thin smile. "Come, come, now. Surely you do not believe that old witch's tale that if a mage knows your True Name that they have power over you? I can assure you that that is not my intention. I have something very important that I need to make you aware of –"

"Then do make me aware of the reason for your call," said the Empress; perhaps a bit more firmly than she had intended. "The terms of the Armistice are quite clear that the purpose of this mirror is for emergencies only; not for "social calls."

Now Cora's expression sharpened (or, more accurately, stabilized,) into one that was businesslike, and said, "Due to an unforeseen and unfortunate accident, my twelve-year-old daughter, Princess Regina, using a _non-magical_ flying conveyance, has made an _unplanned_ journey _into_ Fantasia. It is my wish that she be found and returned to the Enchanted Forest, safely and unharmed."

The Childlike Empress wanted to say many things in reply. Cora's statement begged so many questions that the Empress could not even decide which one to ask first. But the Empress was as wise as she was old, and would not take Cora's bait.

Oh, the woman in the mirror _was_ concerned for her daughter's safety; the Childlike Empress had no doubts about that. But not so single-mindedly concerned that she would not also attempt to use this conversation as an opportunity to learn as much about Fantasia as possible in the process.

 _And there was much that she could learn from our conversation, no matter how brief,_ thought the Childlike Empress. _If Cora were to realize that I am even now trapped in my Ivory Tower by the sorceries of Xayide, then the Enchanted Foresters might be emboldened to launch an attack on Fantasia itself, if any harm should come to Princess Regina . . . ._

In the end, the Empress simply said, "Every effort to locate the Princess and return her safely to her home in the Enchanted Forest shall be made.

"I shall summon my best person for the task; a young warrior and hunter of the Plains People of Fantasia. His name is Atreyu. And he has done much for us in the past, including helping to save Fantasia itself."

Again, Cora's expression was difficult to read. The Enchanted Forest Royal raised an eyebrow, and said, "No doubt from whatever happened in your lands not three years past . . . ?"

And again, the Empress would not take Cora's bait. "In addition, I shall summon another from a far-off world, an Earth – a _person_ who has done great service to Fantasia and fought at Atreyu's side during our darkest hour.

"He is known as Bastian . . . ."


	4. Atreyu, Bastian (& Henry) to the Rescue

**Chapter 4: Atreyu, Bastian (and Henry) to the Rescue**

 _It's good to be back!_ Thought Bastian Balthazar Bux as he rode through the skies of Fantasia, carried swiftly by his friend, Falkor the Luck Dragon. "The Childlike Empress said something about a rescue mission when she contacted me through AURYN, Falkor! What do you suppose she means?"

"You know more than I do, Bastian," replied Falkor; a creature that looked more like an overgrown, elongated white Cocker Spaniel than a reptile. "All I know is that I must get you to the Ivory Tower swiftly to meet with the Childlike Empress. Atreyu will be there, as well!"

"Awesome!" said Bastian. "I can't wait to see my old friend again!"

The flight to the Ivory Tower of Fantasia's Childlike Empress was soon over. When Falkor landed, the Childlike Empress and her spokesperson Chiron - a tall, dark-skinned merman with a head-crest and long, white hair - were waiting for the arrival of the Earthling Child who had done them a great service several years before. Bastian smiled broadly when he saw that his old friend Atreyu had already arrived, and was standing beside his faithful horse, Artax.

After bowing to the Childlike Empress (who Bastian named for his deceased mother the last time he was in Fantasia,) and to Chiron, Bastian went over to Atreyu. The two boys clasped hands as they greeted each other.

"Atreyu!" said Bastian. "Man, and am I ever glad to see you!"

"Well met, my friend Bastian," replied Atreyu, the young hunter-warrior of the Plains People of Fantasia.

Bastian then addressed the Childlike Empress. "Empress, when you spoke to me through AURYN, you said that Atreyu and I had to rescue you _and_ a princess from a far-off land!"

The Childlike Empress nodded solemnly, and then told Bastian about the war and long-running cease-fire between the Kingdom of Fantasia and the lands of the Enchanted Forest. Bastian listened intently as she spoke. In his own world, Bastian learned in school that the cease-fire between North and South Korea was over fifty years old, and held the record. But this one between Fantasia and the Enchanted Forest had been going on for almost a thousand years!

"And you haven't spoken to each other since the truce?" said Bastian.

Chiron said, "Only to make sure that the special magic mirrors for emergency contact work properly. There was no other reason to use them, until now."

The Childlike Empress said, "A few hours ago, the Enchanted Foresters were attempting to spy on Us. The Armistice specifies that neither side may use magic - or construct a large tower near the Demilitarized Zone – to observe the other. But the Enchanted Foresters tried circumventing this by using a device called a "hot-air balloon" that they got from the Land of Oz."

Bastian's eyes widened at the mention of the Land of Oz. But before he could ask anything more, Chiron said, "Technically, this is not a violation of the treaty, which fails to mention such a device." Bastian nodded, grateful that the merman's remark reminded him that, despite his aroused curiosity, there were more important matters at hand.

Chiron continued, "But an accidental launch had occurred before the balloon could be tethered to the winch on the ground. And Princess Regina of the Enchanted Forest was aboard the balloon at the time."

"Wait," said Bastian. "The _Princess_ was going to spy on you?"

"No," said Chiron. "We were told by her mother that she wanted to look around the balloon before it was launched. She must have accidentally released the mooring lines before the tether rope could be fitted."

Puzzled, Bastian said, "But why were the people of the Enchanted Forest trying to spy on you now, after all this time?"

The Childlike Empress sighed. "The last time you saved Us, when The Nothing almost destroyed Fantasia – and would have surely devoured _all_ of the Realms of Storytelling afterwards – We were contacted by Princess Regina's mother; a powerful witch named Cora.

"Even without magic or watchtowers, the Enchanted Foresters could see that _something_ unnatural was happening in Fantasia, even if they did not know exactly what it was.

"As soon as Bastian gave Us Our new name and all was made right again, the Enchanted Foresters contacted Us through the mirror to find out what had happened. Understandably, they had many questions. So We had Chiron prepare a short statement to let them know that everything was under control and that they were not in any danger, themselves."

"But sadly," said Chiron. "By not deigning to answer any of their specific, follow-up questions, we have aroused their suspicion. It is Cora's belief – and mere words alone cannot assuage her worry – that we Fantasians were trying to develop a spell that Cora called, "The Dark Curse." Alas, this has made spying on us a priority of _all_ the lands of the Enchanted Forest."

"Cora wants her daughter back, safe and unharmed," said the Childlike Empress. "This is not an unreasonable request. But this could not have happened a worse time!

"We had intended to contact you anyway, Bastian. For the Evil Sorceress Xayide has Us trapped in Our own Ivory Tower by her infernal magic. So We must impose on you to aid Us in _two_ ways, instead of only one . . . .

"We need you to capture Xayide and force her to free Us." The Childlike Empress nodded to Bastian and Atreyu. "To free Us, _and_ to find Princess Regina of the Enchanted Forest when her balloon lands, and to escort her safely back to the Ivory Tower where arrangements may be made to have her safely returned to her homeland before this incident gets worse."

Chiron added, "But you must move swiftly. For the path in the sky that Princess Regina's balloon is taking will bring her near Horok Castle. The two of you must get to her first before Xayide may take her captive.

"Even now," said the Childlike Empress. "We fear that Princes Regina's mother Cora is moving soldiers to the border in preparation for an attack if her daughter is not soon returned safely. And believe me, Bastian, Fantasia does _not_ want another war with the Enchanted Forest."

"Well, what are we waiting for, then?" said Atreyu.

"Let's go to capture Xayide and rescue Princess Regina!" said Bastian as he climbed on Falkor's back. Atreyu nodded, and mounted his horse, Artax.

After saying a quick goodbye to the Childlike Empress, both boys set off for Horok Castle to capture Xayide, rescue Princess Regina, and prevent an all-out war between the two Realms of Storytelling . . . .

At Horok Castle, Xayide saw the events at the Ivory Tower in her scrying glass and smiled. _So, the Childlike Empress thinks that two mere boys can save her, does she . . . ?_ And as Xayide considered the young girl in the flying contraption that was even now coming closer to Horok Castle, a new plan began to come to her.

She waved her hand, and the image in the scrying glass changed from the Ivory Tower to the approaching flying craft from the Enchanted Forest. Xayide, her servant Tri-Face, and her birdlike spy Nimbly watched as the balloon carrying Princess Regina came closer and closer. It was almost in range of the beams from the fingertip towers of the hand-shaped castle. "I have adjusted the Beams to bring down the device but to not harm its occupant. I want that girl brought to me, unharmed!"

Xayide then instructed Nimbly to find out where the device from the Enchanted Forest lands, and to report back to her with the location. Nimbly bowed, and then flew off.

Xayide then turned to Tri-Face, and said, "Make ready to go to where the flying contraption lands when the Beams have done their task. We must reach her before those two boys sent by the Childlike Empress!"

Tri-Face's head spun until it showed the face of the Knight, and then he bowed and said, "It shall be done, Mistress Xayide. Shall we bring the giants with us?"

"No . . . ," said Xayide with a thin smile as she yet again reconsidered her plans. "I think that this situation may call for a more subtle approach that requires a _woman's_ touch . . . .

"Prepare my Xobile. When Nimbly returns to us with the location of the grounded device, we will have a young princess to "rescue."

Tri-Face bowed, and then went to prepare his Mistress' enchanted carriage.

Xayide smiled triumphantly. Initially, she had planned to use the custodianship of AURYN to drive a wedge between the two young boys. But soon, she would have something – _someone_ \- that promised to be so much, more effective . . . .

Princess Regina huddled down in the basket, her arms wrapped around her as she shivered in the cold air. But she also knew that a Princess must be brave. So, wiping her tear-streaked face, Regina cautiously stood up. And when she did, she saw that she was not in the Enchanted Forest anymore. From the position of the sun and judging by the unfamiliar ground below her, Regina saw that she was deep inside of Fantasia; the border of the forested Demilitarized Zone was far behind her.

Then Regina cautiously moved to the opposite side of the basket to see what lay ahead. The young princess gasped as she realized that she was the first of her people to look upon Fantasia in nearly a thousand years! From her vantage point, Regina could see villages and cultivated land on the Fantasia side of the border; not unlike those in the Enchanted Forest where she lived. But there were differences, too. Off to one side, Regina saw a beautiful, white tower in the distance. It was a strangely comforting sight. "That must be the Ivory Tower of the Childlike Empress," said Regina to herself out loud.

But off to the other side, Regina could see a horrific castle shaped like a giant hand. And as she got closer, she could see that the hand's finger-like towers were covered in windows that resembled eyes. Worse, Regina could feel the balloon being carried closer and closer to the foreboding structure.

Regina did not know who or what lived in the hand-shaped castle, and she had no desire to find out. Forcing herself to remain calm, Regina looked around for some way to make the balloon land before she got closer to the castle.

Hanging on the sides of the balloon's basket, she saw bags of sand attached to the railing that were held in place by belaying pins of the kind used on ships at sea. _No_ , thought Regina. That would not do. Releasing the sand bags would make the balloon lighter, and she would only go _higher_. But other than the red handle that she pulled that made the balloon launch, she could see no other method of controlling the balloon.

It was then that she heard the voice of a young boy that came from nowhere. "Mo - . . . , I mean, _Regina_ , look up! Pull the rope attached to the rip-panel!" Regina looked up and saw a rope with a yellow painted handle coming out of a line through the side of the balloon's envelope.

Again, Regina heard the boy's voice. "That's it! Pull it now!"

"I – I can't reach it!" said Regina as she tried to reach for the yellow handle. "It's too high up!"

"Grab it with something!" said the boy's voice from nowhere. Try hooking the handle with one of the telescopes!"

"A-alright . . . ," said Regina, unsure of who was speaking to her. The Princess dismounted a telescope, and tried to hook the handle. But as she tried, Regina became aware of thin, green beams of light probing the sky near the balloon. Worse, Regina could see that the beams were coming from the fingertip-shaped towers of the hand-shaped castle. And Regina could see that the beams were getting closer and closer to the balloon.

With a slight jump, Regina managed to hook the handle and pull it. Regina could hear a hissing sound as she felt the balloon slowly losing altitude. But the beams from the castle were following her decent. Regina was almost to the ground when one of the beams sliced through the balloon's envelope, causing Regina to fall faster, coming to an abrupt stop when what remained of the envelope snagged a tree, making the basket stop about twelve feet from the ground.

Now the beams of light had stopped, and even though Regina was still high above ground, she was, for the moment, safe and unharmed. The Princess breathed a sigh of relief. And she could also hear what sounded like someone breathing a sigh of relief next to her, but could see nobody else around . . . .

"Woah," said Henry with a shiver as he looked up from the book. "That was a close one!"

"You alright, kid?" said Emma.

"What did you just read about, Henry?" said Regina.

"Your balloon just landed near Horok Castle," said Henry. "It got stuck high up in a tree. A-and I felt it all; the motion of the balloon, the cold air – everything!"

"You were the voice that I heard back then," said Regina. "I never would have thought to look up for a control that would make the balloon land. You saved my life, son. When did you ever learn about how a balloon works?"

"I once saw a video of hot-air balloons on YouTube," said Henry offhandedly.

Bastian said, "It was a good thing that you did, Henry. If the beams from Horok had slashed the balloon before your mom could pull the rip-panel and get lower, she might have been killed."

"So, can I stop reading now, Bastian?" Henry's voice was almost pleading as he said it.

"You must finish the story, Henry," said Bastian. "Your mom _still_ needs your help!"

"Would you like to take a quick rest, son?" said Regina.

"Not while you're still in danger, mom!" said Henry with newfound resolve. "I'd better keep going until I'm done and I _know_ that you'll be safe!"

Both Regina and Emma gave their son a quick kiss on his cheeks as he once again pulled the blanket over himself, and continued on to read the next chapter.


	5. Saving Princess Regina

**Chapter 5: Saving Princess Regina**

Princess Regina sat in the basket of her balloon. She was scared and cold, but for the moment, safe. She tried calling out to the voice that had told her what she needed to do to land, but got no answer, making Regina wonder if she had just imagined the voice in the first place.

But that did not make any sense. She had no idea how this contraption worked, much less what a "rip-panel" might be. As Regina managed to get her breathing under control, she thought that maybe she unconsciously heard some of the scholars or soldiers mention the device as she was standing around, and did not realize it until it became relevant to her own situation.

That was the simplest, most logical explanation.

But Regina was certain that she _did_ hear a voice; the voice of a boy about her age. And she also could've also sworn that at one point the mysterious voice was about to call her " _mom_ . . . ."

Before Regina could think more of it, she heard a different voice calling out to her. This time, it was the voice of a young woman, and it was coming from the ground below her. After hearing the woman's voice calling, "Hello? Is anybody up there?" for the third time, Regina cautiously peered over the side of the basket and looked down. There on the ground Regina saw a beautiful young woman wearing an elaborate dress, who was standing next to a strange looking carriage shaped like a flower bud that was red on the top and green on the bottom.

Well, Regina thought that it _might_ be a carriage. A strangely dressed man sat on what appeared to be a driver's seat, but the conveyance had no wheels or horses. Perhaps it moved by enchantment . . . ? But before Regina could think more on it, the woman spoke to her.

"Hello, young lady," said the woman pleasantly. "I am Xayide, the Mistress of Horok Castle, whose lands you are now on. I trust that you are uninjured?"

"I – I'm not hurt, Lady Xayide. But I'm trapped up here, and I have no way down."

"I should be able to assist you with that problem," said Xayide cheerfully. "Now, tell me, young lady, who is it that I have the pleasure of addressing, and where are you from?"

"I am Princess Regina of the Enchanted Forest."

"From the _Enchanted Forrest_ . . . ?" mused Xayide. "My, but you are a _very_ long way from home . . . ."

"P-please," said Regina. "I am not here to harm anyone in Fantasia. I am here by _accident_."

"I see," said Xayide neutrally. "And how old are you, Princess Regina?"

"Twelve," said Regina, who quickly added, "but I'll be thirteen in another few days."

Xayide's voice took on a slightly more serious tone. "Then you _are_ old enough to know about the current state of affairs between our two Realms, I trust?"

"Yes, Lady Xayide," said Regina. "In fact, the State of Affairs between our two lands is what my tutor has been teaching me about in his current lessons.

"I realize that our Realms are . . . not on regular speaking terms. But please believe me that I am here by _accident_ , and I only want to go _home_!"

Xayide smiled at the worried girl. "Well, then, Princess Regina. It is most fortunate that your conveyance brought you here to _my_ lands - to Horok Castle - and _not_ to the Ivory Tower of the Childlike Empress of Fantasia!

"Had you found yourself in _her_ custody, you would no doubt be imprisoned immediately and accused of spying for your own Realm."

"But I'm _not_ a spy!" said Regina, fighting back tears. "I was in the basket when the hot air balloon _accidentally_ launched! Please believe me!"

"Oh, I do believe you, darling. You are clearly a proper, young Noblewoman, and not a spy.

"Still, what you have said _does_ beg the question as to _why_ the Enchanted Foresters felt the need to develop a non-magical flying contraption . . . ." Xayide's expression hardened a bit. "The only thing that I can think of is that your elders intended to spy on Us through malicious compliance with the _letter_ of the Armistice between our two Realms; the _spirit_ of which _forbids_ spying by _any_ means."

Regina felt herself shiver with dread. But again, Xayide smiled, and her tone became more cheerful. "But, as I have said, you are on my lands – not those of the Childlike Empress. You have nothing to fear from me, Princess Regina.

"Now, let's get you down from there and find a way to get you back to your home in the Enchanted Forest. In fact, I think that I know how to accomplish the first task . . . ." Xayide looked skyward, and called, "NIMBLY!" And the moment she called out, a birdlike person flew down from the sky, hovering in the air at the height of Regina's basket.

"I come as called, Mistress Xayide!" said the bird-man.

Xayide said, "Nimbly, would you be so kind as to assist young Princess Regina of the Enchanted Forest safely to the ground from her basket in the tree? It is my strongest wish that no harm should befall her during her time in Fantasia!"

"At once, Mistress Xayide!" The bird-man instructed Regina to put her arms around his neck, and once she had done this, he lowered her safely to the ground in front of Xayide.

Regina curtsied to Xayide, and said, "Thank you, Lady Xayide. I was so scared that I . . . ." Regina paused for a moment as she took in her surroundings and the realization hit her that she was the first person from the Enchanted Forest in over a thousand years to actually set foot in the Realm of Fantasia. Realizing that she had broken off mid-sentence, Regina began stammering as she tried to finish her thought.

But before she could get another word out, Xayide said, "It's quite alright, Princess Regina. I can imagine that you must have had an overwhelming experience, only to have it replaced with yet another overwhelming experience. That can be quite disorienting; even for a Princess. And I can see that you are cold and tired – and no doubt hungry as well . . . .

"Come, let us return to Horok Castle in my Xobile. There, you may warm yourself, dine, and rest, while I make the necessary arrangements for your safe return to the Enchanted Forest."

"T-thank you, Lady Xayide . . . ," said Regina. But before they could say or do anything else, Xayide and Regina heard the hoof beats of a powerful horse rapidly approaching.

Seconds later the horse came into view. Regina was surprised to see that the rider, wearing the clothes of a barbarian, was a young boy no older than she was. And Regina could also see that the boy was very handsome looking. That alone took her attention off of Lady Xayide – who had been trying to hustle the princess into the Xobile - long enough for him to get her undivided attention.

"Princess Regina!" said the boy, calling her by name. "I am Atreyu! A Warrior and Hunter of the Plains People of Fantasia! Princess Regina, stop! Don't go with Xayide! She is an evil sorceress!"

Xayide started to respond to the accusations of the boy on the horse, but once again, Xayide and Princess Regina were caught off-guard. Another boy's voice spoke sounded-out; this time coming from above them. Regina looked up and saw another boy her age, wearing _very_ strange clothes, who was riding on a magical beast of some kind who flew without wings. The creature landed and the boy jumped off, saying, "Princess Regina, my name is Bastian Balthazar Bux! I am from a faraway land called Earth!

"We are here as emissaries on behalf of the Childlike Empress of Fantasia to rescue you!"

Xayide exclaimed, "Oh, surely, Princess Regina, you do _not_ believe these lying boys? The Childlike Empress means to _imprison_ you!"

"She's the one telling lies, Princess Regina!" said Bastian.

Bastian approached Regina. He wore funny looking shoes, dark blue trousers and a strange looking grey hooded jacket that seemed to fasten at the front by some type of silver stitchery. But what really caught Regina's attention was the medallion the boy wore on a chain around his neck. The medallion was fashioned in the form of two entwined serpents – one silver and the other one gold – biting each other's tails. Though Princess Regina did not know why, the medallion seemed to radiate a combination of authority and comfort. And then, Regina realized something else . . . .

"Wait, how do you two boys know who I am?" said Regina. "Please continue, Bastian."

"NO!" exclaimed Xayide. She stepped forward and raised her hand as though to cast a spell, but Atreyu leapt from his horse and drew an arrow, pointing it directly at her, forcing Xayide to stop.

"Is today a good day to die, Xayide . . . ?" said Atreyu.

"Of course not, young man," said Xayide with resignation. She then bade her servants Tri-Face and Nimbly to stand down.

Bastian said, "Princess Regina of the Enchanted Forest. Atreyu and I know who you are and where you came from and how you got here because the Childlike Empress of Fantasia told us!

"The Childlike Empress has spoken with your mother, Cora, and has assured her that we would find you and escort you safely back home!"

Regina turned to Xayide, raising her eyebrow in query. Xayide smiled thinly, and said, "Well, boys, I guess you win. There is no point in trying to deny it any longer.

"Yes, Princess Regina, I was going to hold you as _my_ prisoner, even as I have the Childlike Empress of this Realm trapped within her own Ivory Tower." The revelation made Princess Regina gasp.

"Which brings us to the second matter at hand!" said Bastian. "Xayide; in the name of the Childlike Empress of Fantasia, we hereby place you under arrest!"

Atreyu added, "And now, you will come with us, evil sorceress! And when we return to the Ivory Tower, you will release your spell and let the Childlike Empress go free!"

"I hereby surrender to you two brave, young men," said Xayide smiling thinly. "I am yours to command."

"Good!" said Bastian. He stepped closer to Princess Regina, smiling broadly. And his smile grew even wider when the princess responded with a smile of her own. Bastian could not believe that he and Atreyu had just rescued a real Fairy Tale Princess!

Bastian could also not help but notice that the princess was very pretty. Princess Regina had long, black hair, dark brown eyes, and pleasant features that made her look vaguely Latina. But Bastian also noticed that she was shivering, as her dress was inadequate for the cool climate.

Without giving it a second thought, Bastian unzipped his hoodie, and gallantly helped Princess Regina into it, zipping her in nice and snug.

The Princess' eyes went wide with amazement as she noticed the way the zipper worked. "What wondrous silver stitchery! Do all people from 'Earth" wear garments such as these?"

"Oh, yes" said Bastian. "And we have other things as well that are sure to amaze you!"

Regina looked down at the hoodie, noticing the pockets in front, and put her hands in to help warm them up. Bastian watched as Regina's hands squirmed in the pockets, no doubt to help warm them.

And then Atreyu approached. The young Hunter bowed before the princess, and said, "Well met, Princess Regina. I could not help but notice that you are rubbing your belly. It must have been a while since you have last taken meat."

"Yes," said Regina. "I have not eaten since breakfast earlier today."

Atreyu motioned for Regina to follow him over to his horse, Artax. Bastian followed, too. Once there, he reached into his saddle bag, and withdrew a strip of dried meat of some kind, and a canteen of water. "I hope that you like smoked meat of the Purple Buffalo, Princess."

"I've never had any before, Atreyu." Regina took a grateful bite and smiled even wider, Bastian noticed, than when he gave her his hoodie. As Princess Regina savored the meat, she then gave Artax a once-over with a very practiced eye. "Your stallion is magnificent, Atreyu. I also enjoy riding, back home in the Enchanted Forest."

"Artax is the fastest horse in all of Fantasia, Princess Regina! The fastest horse in all the realms!"

Regina smiled coyly. "Perhaps here in Fantasia. But in the Enchanted Forest, there is no horse _faster_ than _my_ steed, Rocinante!"

Now Atreyu smiled broadly. "Perhaps, Princess, one day we can put our mutual boasts to the test!"

"I'd like that, very much," said Regina.

"Uh, Atreyu?" said Bastian with a tincture of impatience. "Maybe we should get Princess Regina and the Evil Sorceress back to the Ivory Tower? I mean, we still have the Childlike Empress to free . . . ."

"You are right, my friend," said Atreyu with the slightest touch of annoyance on the last word. "Let us be off . . . ."

Though both boys may have missed the tone that they had used with each other, Xayide heard it all too clearly. Though she did not even allow herself a thin smile this time, she could tell that her plan was coming to fruition . . . .


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 6: The Calm Before the Storm**

Henry looked up from the book, feeling as tired, cold and hungry as his mother must have been after her ordeal. But Henry was also relieved to see that his mother was safe, (at least for the moment,) from the Sorceress Xayide. And Henry felt doubly-relieved to see that _both_ of his moms were standing beside him. Addressing both simultaneously, Henry said, "Mom . . . ?"

Regina said, "It's alright, son. I'm fine." Emma put a hand on her son's shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile, and Regina continued. "You must be hungry. Why don't you take a break and have something to eat with us?"

"I – I can't stop reading now, mom," said Henry. "I'm at the part where Bastian and Atreyu have just rescued you from Xayide, but I just _know_ that she has _something_ really bad planned! If I stop now –"

"Henry, you've been reading for three hours straight," said Regina.

"W-what . . . ?" Henry blinked. "But it _can't_ have been that long!" Henry checked his phone, and shook his head. "Seriously . . . ?" Henry looked from Regina, to Emma, to Bastian and Atreyu. The adults all nodded.

Bastian said, "Your mom should be safe for now, Henry. But you should take a break. You will need your strength for what is to come, shortly."

Atreyu added, "Your mom Emma called your grandparents, and they are coming over, soon, after they stop off at someplace called Granny's Diner."

"It's the last Wednesday of the month, Henry," said Regina with a comforting smile. "You know what _that_ means . . . ."

Henry replied with a smile of his own. "Well . . . , I guess I can take a _quick_ dinner break." And a few moments later, the doorbell rang, and David, Mary-Margaret, and Henry's year-old Uncle Neil came in. Grandma Mary-Margaret was carrying Neil, and Grandpa David was carrying several paper bags of food.

"There's more in the car," said David. "Can somebody give me a hand . . . ?"

Bastian smiled, and said, "Well, I'm above clapping, right now. But not above asking you if you've got a match . . . ."

David smiled as he set down the bags he was carrying on the table next to Henry, shaking hands with Bastian. Then Atreyu clasped hands with David, and said, "You must be Prince Charming. I have heard a lot of tales about you and your wife, Snow White. It is an honor to actually meet you both!"

Mary-Margaret said, "We've heard your story, too, Atreyu. And your story as well, Bastian."

After brief introductions, the food was unpacked. Henry's mouth watered as he realized that he was hungrier than he initially thought; especially for Granny's on the last Wednesday of the month.

Though the people of the Enchanted Forest had grown accustomed to the things that the Land Without Magic had to offer - such as indoor plumbing, central heating and air conditioning, antibiotics and vaccines, to name but a few – there was still a certain amount of homesickness and nostalgia for the life they had left behind. So Granny's Diner began a new tradition a few months back that proved very popular in Post-Curse Storybrooke.

The last Wednesday of the month was Traditional Comfort Food Day. And on that day, Storybrookers could indulge in traditional foods from the Enchanted Forest that would not be out of place at a Land Without Magic Medieval Reenactment Society feast (though far more authentic.)

Here was a whole, roast goose along with huge, standing crust meat pies, for the main course. Sides included two kinds of pottage – both with and without meat; a fruit salad made with local apples (naturally,) pears and quince; and two kinds of bread: fresh, Manchet loaves, as well as thickly-sliced stale bread to be used as Trenchers with the pottage. Several pastry boxes containing tarts for dessert rounded out the feast.

Henry helped Regina, Bastian and Atreyu set the table while Emma, David and Mary-Margaret transferred the food from their take-out cartons and onto proper serving platters.

Regina said, "Henry, set my place at the center of the side of the table; not at the head. You'll sit between Emma and me.

"Oh, and Henry? Don't set out a fork or butter knife for either of us; just a spoon." Before Henry could say anything, Regina waived her hand, and a knife appeared at Henry's and her places. Henry blinked. The knives looked more like a weapon than something a person would eat with.

"It's high time that I show you the proper way to eat at a traditional, Royal Banquet," said Regina. "One day, you might find yourself in the Enchanted Forest or a neighboring realm, and as a Prince, you will need to know proper courtly manners for dining at High Table. Oh, I almost forgot . . . ." Again, Regina waived her hand, and small bowls of water appeared on the table.

Henry looked puzzled. "Huh . . . ?"

This time, Grandma Snow spoke. "Finger bowls. For washing while we eat. You know, I haven't eaten this way in ages, even at Granny's." Snow then glanced down at her own place setting, and said, "Uh, Regina? Do you mind . . . ?"

"Not at all," said Regina smiling. Again she waived her hand, transfiguring the silverware into elaborate knives, and conjuring more finger bowls. Then, as an afterthought, she also conjured a silver, boat-shaped container filled with coarse sea salt.

"We'll dispense with other, traditional formalities, and all eat at the same table. Tonight, everyone here is an honored guest, and nobody dines beneath the salt!"

Dinner proceeded smoothly, with both the food and the company being quite pleasant. Henry was hungrier than he thought, and he listened carefully to his mother, Regina, as well as his grandparents, as they instructed him in the proper way to eat at a Medieval Banquet.

"May I please have some more lemonade?" said Henry, who added as Emma filled his glass, "We should really do this more often! But next time, I'd like a Moxie, Coke or Pepsi to drink."

"You know I don't like you to drink soda, Henry," said Regina admonishingly. "It isn't good for you."

"But mom," said Henry. "All the kids at school drink it. And I'm probably the only kid in the entire State of Maine who hasn't drunk Moxie!"

"I never had any soda when I was your age," said Regina evenly. "And I turned out alright."

Henry smiled. "So, then maybe I should drink what you drank when you were my age . . . .

"Mom, cold I trade this lemonade for some ale or wine?"

Everyone at the table laughed, but not impolitely. Even Regina smiled in spite of herself. "Clever, son. But in this house, I'd rather you not drink soda; especially at every meal.

"However, maybe the next time we eat at Granny's, you may have a small glass of soda; so long as you don't make it a regular habit."

Henry nodded. It was fair enough.

Regina, who was drinking iced tea, took a sip, and added, "Son, the reason even _children_ drank beer, ale or wine in the Enchanted Forest is that the water supply was not always safe; even from wells owned by the nobility." Regina shook her head. "Here I thought that I was sending everyone "Somewhere Horrible," when I enacted the Dark Curse. And I end up sending us to a place where clean, safe water is available to anyone . . . ."

When time came for dessert, Henry asked to be excused to continue reading, saying that he would ". . . have that apple tart as soon as I know mom is safe!"

"We'll all be right here, son," said Regina as she cleared the table with magic. Henry then moved to the far end of the long table, drew his blanket around himself, and once more immersed himself into the world of "The NeverEnding Story:"

 _Cora watched as the small military delegations from the different lands of the Enchanted Forest arrived at the balloon launch site near the border with Fantasia. She was joined by her husband, Prince Henry, who informed her that, "The delegations from Agrabah, Arendelle, Camelot and Oz have arrived, and are setting up even as we speak, dearest."_

Cora nodded, (using all her restraint to not lash-out at her dim spouse for stating the obvious,) and said, "As soon as they have settled in, I would speak with the Generals of the different delegations in our campaign tent. How much longer do you think it will take for them to set up?"

"Well, the delegations from Camelot and Oz are currently unloading their wagons of campaign furniture for their generals' tents," said Prince Henry. "They are almost done.

"Now, the delegation from Agrabah did not have much to set up. Mostly carpets, pillows, a low table, and some chests, and they have finished about an hour ago.

"But the delegation from Arendelle seems to have a most unique method of transporting campaign furniture. They have only one wagon loaded with flat boxes containing components that they assemble into the furniture they need, and they do so with strange, "L-shaped" tools.

"When I asked one of the soldiers from Arendelle, he told me that in his homeland, most furniture is purchased and transported in such a manner. And not only that, the stores that sell the furniture are famous for having on-site taverns that serve wonderful food at truly reasonable prices . . . ."

"I'm sure that this is all very interesting," said Cora impatiently. "But unless you have forgotten, _our daughter_ is even now in the hands of those filthy Fantasians!"

"I – I haven't forgotten, my dear," said Prince Henry. "B-but did you not tell me that when you last spoke with Fantasia's Child-Like Empress via mirror that she informed you that they would make every effort to find Regina and return her safely?"

"And you believe her . . . ?" said Cora dryly as she raised an eyebrow.

"S-Surely they do not want to risk _war_ with us . . . ," persisted Prince Henry.

"Neither do they want to let a golden opportunity such as this pass," snapped Cora. "Any more than we would, were the situation reversed!

"Once they have located Regina, they will undoubtedly attempt to use her to extract concessions from the Enchanted Forest as a condition of her release. In any case, they may attempt to use magic to make her forget all that she saw and heard while she was there; for fear that we may learn something useful about them. At the very least, they will undoubtedly ask her about the Enchanted Forest in tones of 'friendship' and 'understanding;' and she may inadvertently reveal something the Fantasians may find useful against _us_ . . . .

"No, husband, I have a much _better_ idea.

"The moment we know exactly where Regina is, I intend to teleport _directly_ to her and bring her back home. The presence of our army - as well as the token forces from the other lands - should help to convince the Childlike Twit to not try anything foolish while I do this.

"And if Regina has so much as a single hair out of place, I intend to show those Fantasian upstarts that there are far _worse_ things than being passed by on a bookshelf and ignored!

"Now, I want to speak with the generals from the visiting nations as soon as possible. We have much to discuss! Until then, I shall await them in our campaign tent, where I shall be speaking with my . . . _advisor_. Do let me know when you have done this simple task.

"And husband? As you are aware, my _advisor_ is notorious for his . . . _unpredictability_. Do so remember to announce your presence before entering our tent. Failure to do so may be detrimental to your very existence!" Cora turned sharply, and went into her tent. As she approached, the two guards at the entrance stood aside to allow her to pass, and resumed their positions directly in front after she entered.

Once inside, Cora was about to call for her "advisor," only to stop when a grating, childlike laugh coming from behind her let her know that he was already there.

"I hear you've . . . lost something, Dearie," said Rumpelstiltskin. Again, the Imp laughed. "And that you need my help getting her back . . . ."


	7. Players to Positions

**Chapter 7: Players to Positions**

 _Xayide kept her expression neutral as the Earthling Child and the young Plains Warrior tried to convince each other who would be better to ride in the Xobile with her, and who would keep Princess Regina safe outside. As the boys argued while trying not to seem like they were arguing, (no doubt more for the benefit of Regina than for their prisoner,) Xayide reflected on how fortunate she was to have enacted her plans at the time she did._

 _If she had made her move against the Childlike Empress a year before – or even a few months or weeks earlier – then this opportunity may not have been available to her. Younger boys would have been less likely to allow a mere girl, (no matter how pretty,) to come between them, and presented a more united front against the dangerous sorceress that they had just captured. If anything, neither boy would have wanted to be the object of some girl's 'special favor.'_

 _And if Princess Regina had been slightly younger, she would have seen the boys as being friends, at best, but would have preferred the company of other girls her age._

 _But these young boys were of 'that age' when a pretty girl, also of 'that age' might just have the desired effect; especially if said pretty girl was in distress. And moreover, Xayide could tell that Princess Regina was reveling in the attention the two boys were bestowing on her._

 _Yes, this could work out even better than Xayide had originally planned . . . ._

Henry stopped reading, abruptly looking up from his book. As he did, the adults at the table stopped their conversation. Henry looked from Regina, to Bastian and Atreyu, and then back to Regina. "M-mom . . . ?"

Regina blushed slightly and smiled; a smile that bespoke of fond, childhood memories. Both Bastian and Atreyu shrugged; their expressions only slightly tinged with embarrassment.

Bastian sighed. "Mea Culpa, Henry. Both Atreyu and I had developed an instant crush on your mom when we were your age."

Atreyu nodded, and added, "Your mother is a very special person, Henry. She was the first girl that either of us had serious feelings for."

"S-seriously?" said Henry.

Regina's expression was pure, mock surprise. "Well, it may seem hard for _you_ to believe, Henry. But I was once your age, way back in Days of Olde when Knights were bold.

"Quite literally, I might add."

Bastian said, "I was something of a nerd when I was fourteen, Henry. Other than my sister, your mom was the first girl that I had had anything approaching a real conversation with." Bastian rolled his eyes. "And I had to go to another world to do even that!"

"And among my people," added Atreyu, "I was known as "Son of All." So I grew up thinking of all the girls in my tribe as being my "sisters." I didn't think that way of your mother . . . ."

"And what 13 year-old girl _wouldn't_ like the attention of two, handsome boys who had just came to her rescue," said Regina. "It was like a Fairy Tale come true; again, quite literally . . . .

"But much time has passed, and I want to assure you that Bastian and Atreyu are here for me as old, good friends. And believe me; I do need their emotional support, now more than ever."

Atreyu said, "And that is why we're here, Henry." Both men nodded in agreement, as much to reassure Henry as well as Regina that that was what they came for.

Henry nodded back, and looked back down at the book. A Middle School "love triangle?" For a Fairy Tale, this was starting to read more like an episode of "iCarly." But Henry also knew that his mom was still in danger, and that he still had more to read before she would be safe. Any questions he might have would have to wait. Without another word, Henry continued reading . . . .

 _Cora turned to The Dark One, and smiled thinly. "Hello, Rumple. What I need is a way to determine where, exactly, the Fantasians are holding my daughter. Once I know that, I will be able to teleport directly to her and bring her back safely to the Enchanted Forest._

"You wouldn't, by any chance, happen to have a locator spell that I can use that the Fantasian sorcerers will not be able to detect as it probes across the border until it is too late . . . ?"

The Dark One made another, grating giggle, and said, "I just might have what you need, Dearie. But it will cost you . . . ."

"No doubt," allowed Cora dryly. "How much?"

The Dark One blinked. "That's it? Seriously, you're waiting for my reply as to the price?

"Most Noble Parents in your position would have said, "Anything, oh, Dark One! Just help me get my child back from those filthy Fantasians!

"But, no. You want me to give you a price before you commit to anything."

Cora didn't even blink. "I'm waiting . . . ."

"Ah, yes . . . ," Rumple giggled again, and said, "What I want is really very simple. Something that will benefit you and the Enchanted Forest as much as it would benefit me . . . ."

Cora's tone was emotionless. "And . . . ?"

"I – I want you to give me permission to begin work on . . . The Dark Curse."

"I see."

Again, the Dark One of the Enchanted Forest was mildly surprised. Despite having known Cora Mills for as long as he did, the woman never failed to catch him off-guard. But before Rumple could say another word, Cora smiled thinly, and said, "Is that all . . . ?"

"Ah, yes . . . ?" replied Rumple cautiously.

"Granted," said Cora dryly. "You do drive a hard bargain, Dark One.

"Truth be told, I was going to request that you begin work on The Dark Curse should the results of our first Reconnaissance Flight overlooking Fantasia indicate a need for a, shall we say, "Balance of Power," between our two Realms.

"No doubt, such a request would have come with a rather steep price." Now, Cora smiled triumphantly. "But, if I had known that the need to rescue my daughter was all that was needed for you to make the offer on your own, I would have doubtlessly arranged such a fortuitous "accident" years ago . . . ."

Before Rumple could reply, both Dark One and Queen were startled by the sound of a young boy's voice. " _Seriously_ , Grandma . . . ?"

Cora exclaimed, "WHO SAID THAT?!"

A world away, Henry Mills held his breath. He then realized that if his mother in the story could hear him, then maybe other characters could hear him, as well.

After a few minutes, Henry cautiously resumed reading, quickly realizing that if he made a mistake; it had been a near-miss . . . .

 _Cora quickly looked around the otherwise empty tent before rounding to Rumple for an explanation, who replied with an irritating giggle and a somewhat less-than-innocent shrug._

 _The Queen glowered at him. "One of your tricks, Imp?"_

 _The Dark One responded by producing a small crystal from a pocket of his crocodile skin jacket. "Here is the locator spell you have requested, My Queen."_

Cora was about to remark, "Don't change the subject." But instead, asked how she was supposed to use a crystal to locate her daughter.

"Ah, when the crystal changes from clear to red, then Princess Regina will be in a safe place where you may teleport straight away to her before the Sorcerers of Fantasia may realize that you are there.

"But then, you must be quick, and return to the Enchanted Forest with the Princess. You will only have a few moments for the two of you to escape before you are detected. Were that to happen, you would doubtlessly be surrounded and overpowered by the Mages of Fantasia and most likely find yourselves . . . detained . . . ."

"No matter," said Cora dismissively. "With the Combined Armies of the Enchanted Forest, Camelot, Oz, Agrabah and Arendelle amassed at the Common Border, the Childlike Empress will doubtlessly think better of ordering me overpowered, much less detained."

Rumple replied cheerfully, "Well, then that's that! Our business is concluded. Now it's time for me to get to work on weaving The Dark Curse - as per YOUR orders!"

Rumpelstiltskin vanished in a burst of red smoke before Cora remembered to press him further about the disembodied voice of a young boy that seemed to come out of nowhere and everywhere at the same time. No matter. Cora would ask him about it, later. For now, she had other items on her agenda.

Stepping out of her Campaign Tent, Cora informed her spouse, Prince Henry, to let the generals of the Allied Armies know that she was ready to speak with them.

Henry Mills took advantage of the "stopping-point" in the text to take a quick bathroom break and a drink of water. Before sitting back down to resume reading, Bastian put a hand on Henry's shoulder, and said, "I probably should warn you that as deep as you are now in "The NeverEnding Story," the lines between the real – ah, _THIS_ world, and the world of the book are going to be getting thinner and thinner.

"Soon, not only will _all_ of the people you are reading about be able to _hear_ you; they will also be able to _see_ you, as well."

"Y-you mean that I'm going to be _part of_ the story, and not just a reader?" said Henry nervously. "You might have warned me about this _before_ I began reading."

Bastian shrugged. "Why would I need to? Didn't you tell me that you 'know your way' around an Enchanted Storybook?"

Henry blinked. If Bastian was trying to tell him, "I tried to warn you, you arrogant kid;" Henry didn't get that vibe. If anything, Henry began to feel that he was not being subjected to an Object Lesson, but rather that he was chosen to perform an important task.

And this was all but confirmed when Bastian added, "For things to properly work out, this story must be read. And of everyone here, you – as an _Author_ \- are the only one capable of reading this story successfully, and emerging unscathed.

"But for everything to turn out properly, "The NeverEnding Story" _must_ be read and finished."

With near desperation, Henry looked from Bastian to Atreyu, and then to his mothers; especially Regina. The former Evil Queen gave her son a sympathetic look, but echoed Bastian's encouragement for him to continue reading.

"Don't worry, son," said Regina. "This is nothing that _you_ can't handle. And besides," Regina gestured to the people around the table. "We're all here, with you. And I'm with you in "The NeverEnding Story," as well . . . ."

Realizing that he had something important to do, Henry Daniel Mills nodded, and resumed reading.

 **Author's Note:** I want to apologize to my readers for the long delay between Chapter 6 and Chapter 7. Hopefully, things should move along with this story quicker, in the future. Thank you for your patience, and thank you for reading!


End file.
